


Escape

by hyeongjunz



Category: Cho Seungyoun - Fandom, Kim Wooseok - Fandom, X1 (Korea Band), seungseok - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, M/M, tragic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21898876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyeongjunz/pseuds/hyeongjunz
Summary: where wooseok who was born into an ill-fated family, meets seungyoun who is a fragment of his forgotten past.
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Kim Wooseok | Wooshin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is all a work of fiction. please do send some feedback if you have time! will update from time to time too ><
> 
> twitter: @softhyeong

_**fifteen years ago.** _

"Wooseok-ah, please return home safely. I worry that they might come after you..."

"Don't worry about me grandma. Your beloved grandson is braver than anyone else!" The eight year old boy said with a prankster smile that showed how he was still missing a few teeth. He put on his backpack, walked over to his grandmother and held her hands. "Those bad guys can't catch me! I'll run past time like I did during the sports fest. We'll be able to eat your favorite black bean noodles from auntie's store later too!" Wooseok tried to reassure.

His grandmother couldn't hold back her tears and hugged Wooseok tightly. The boy smiled sympathetically and rubbed his grandmother's back gently. Such moments weren't uncommon in their small apartment. After losing her husband and son (Wooseok's dad), Wooseok's grandmother feared losing her grandson next. 

"I won't leave you alone grandma, I promise," Wooseok whispers as he breaks away from their embrace. He wipes his grandmother's tears before putting on his shoes and leaving for school.

Wooseok's grandmother was known for being able to see what normal eyes couldn't and predict what would happen in the future. She could see the future, sometimes too far off from the present and most of the time too close for comfort. Her ability had saved countless lives, yet burdened those who carried the same bloodline. As the gift was useful, it brought with it a terrible consequence that is passed on to each generation. All those who share the same blood as the bearer of the ability will _die_. 

_Grandma worries too much...those guys won't be able to catch me._ The young boy thought to himself as he looked around him. A chill went down his spine and he could feel someone watching him. He tugged on the straps of his bag and walked a little bit faster. _Uh oh...they're a bit early..._

" _Where are you going little child?_ " A voice behind him said. When Wooseok looked behind him, he saw no one. 

" _In front of you,_ " the voice took the form of a man wearing black. Wooseok, who was running, was forced to stop in his tracks and dropped to the sidewalk. He could feel his heart beating loudly, and his lungs were trying to catch his breath. " _There's no way you can escape now,_ " the tall figure said as he towered over the small boy with a smile that had blood lust all over it.

_Grandma...I'm sorry I couldn't protect you_. Wooseok thought to himself as he closed his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek, slowly accepting his fate. It was getting cold and dark for him. The only sounds he could hear were the manic laughter of the soul eater.

"What are you doing down there? You even have scrapes on your hands..." A child's voice said. Wooseok hesitantly opened his eyes, and saw that he was back in their world. He looked behind, beside, and above him - the soul eater was gone. "It's not much but..." the boy in front of him, about the same age as him, clumsily pulled out a few band aids from his pocket. He steadily crouched down to put on the band aids on Wooseok's scratches. 

"H-how..." Wooseok struggled to say. 

"I just ran into you. I don't think you understand my situation and well...I don't really understand yours either," the boy chuckled. He grabbed the stick beside him and carefully stood up. "I'm blind."

"You just saved my life..." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t go outside tonight...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updates will be around 400 to 700 words 👉🏼👈🏼 it’s short but it’ll be filled with lots of emotion!
> 
> twiter: @softhyeong

**_ Five years later _ **

“Grandma...I brought Seungyoun over to have some dinner. He said his mom will be home late because of work.” Wooseok yells from their door. After removing his own shoes he helped removed Seungyoun’s. “Be careful now...you might trip because of the step.”

“I’ve been over more than a hundred times already. You don’t need to worry about me falling over...” Seungyoun said as he steadily took a step inside — almost slipping on the rug. 

Wooseok was about to say something, but Seungyoun didn’t want to hear it. His friend’s stubbornness made him laugh softly. He put a hand on Seungyoun’s back and helped him inside. 

The two boys head over to the small table in the living room and sat down on the square cushions. Grandma served seaweed soup and fried beef. Although Seungyoun couldn’t see, he could tell what they were having that evening. He smiled and put his hands together to clap. A few seconds later he started to sing.

“Happy birthday Wooseok-ah, happy birthday Wooseok-ah,” he sang energetically which made Wooseok blush and look down. “You didn’t mentioned anything today and maybe that was on purpose, but the scent of seaweed soup would never fail me. Happy thirteenth birthday, dear Wooseok.”

The blind boy was all smiles as he handed over the small present he had in his pocket. It was a plain silver ring which he had one of his own. For him, it was a symbol of their friendship. 

Smiles aside, grandma worried much about Seungyoun’s greeting and, deep down, Wooseok did too. With a grateful (and heavy) heart, Wooseok accepts his friend’s present and puts it on. The moment Wooseok wore it, he could tell that the ring wasn’t something that came at a cheap price. It made him realize that all those months of Seungyoun saving every won and eating only packed lunch was all for this one present. 

“I hope it fits you well. Estimating your ring size based on the times you held my hand as we crossed the street was a challenge.” Seungyoun chuckles before taking a spoonful of rice and seaweed soup into his mouth. “It’s a weird present...but I think the ring is a way for us to feel connected to each other even when we’re miles apart. I seriously don’t know what I’m saying right now but...I hope we can always be together Wooseok-ah.”

“It fits just right...” Wooseok mumbles to himself. His heart felt warm and at peace. Tears of joy were at the brink of falling, but the hand his grandmother put on his shoulder brought a looming worry back into his mind.

“Wooseok-ah, don’t go outside tonight. I can feel something coming for you tonight...” Grandma whispers to Wooseok. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll protect you always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what you think will happen next?
> 
> twitter: @softhyeong

Later that night, Wooseok was left in the kitchen to do the dishes. His grandmother was already fast asleep because she had recently complained about her knees feeling sore. At first, it wasn’t easy convincing his grandmother to rest, but after promising her multiple times that he’d remain at home that evening, she finally went to bed.

“Your grandma’s cooking is really good. I wish my mom would cook for me like that, but she’s mostly never home.” Seungyoun sighs. When Wooseok heard this, he turned to look at Seungyoun, expecting to see a frown or any sign of sadness. But once again, he just saw Seungyoun’s bright smile as the boy stared aimlessly at the television.

“You can always come over!” Wooseok tells Seungyoun. He couldn’t hold back the sadness he felt inside; it was as if he was the one expressing the sorrow his friend forcefully hid. “You can always have tasty meals here...” Wooseok knew that their food was just enough for two and an extra mouth would mean less for him, yet he didn’t hesitate.

“You’re too kind really,” Seungyoun laughs. When silence filled the tiny apartment, the sound of Seungyoun’s watch echoed.

_11:00 PM_

“Ah...mom might be looking for me soon.” Seungyoun says, without the joy in the tone of his voice.

After heavy words were said, Wooseok realized just how far he’d go for the people he loved, and such feeling made him feel torn that evening. It was getting late and he knew Seungyoun had to go home, but the disabled boy couldn’t possibly do it on his own. Internally, Wooseok had a debate with himself as his grandmother’s words played back in his mind. Deciding which was more important made Wooseok scratch the back of his head harshly.

_I’m sorry...grandma, I’ll be home soon._

“Seungyoun...I’ll take you back to your place in a while.” Wooseok said as he wiped his hands on the orange apron he was wearing.

Seungyoun tried to stand up on his own, but Wooseok rushed to his side. Wooseok put the boy’s arm around his neck and helped Seungyoun onto the couch. Quickly, Wooseok also brought over Seungyoun’s shoes from the wrack and put them on his friend. It was the usual routine, but Wooseok’s hands were shaking with ever loop he made with the shoelaces. Seungyoun could feel how tensed his friend was. He gently put his hand on Wooseok’s shoulder and pulled him away.

“I’m sorry for being a burden to Wooseok...you don’t have to take me home if there’s something wrong—“

“No no, it’s just that it’s too cold. I should wear a coat,” Wooseok excuses. He pulls the shoelaces into a knot and stands up.

Is this what grandma was sensing? Please let it be the cold weather. Wooseok thought to himself as he got ready himself.

The two boys went outside the apartment; Wooseok made sure to close the door gently. The rode the next elevator down and walked along the dimly lit streets at 11 in the evening. They held hands like they always do. Unlike their usual walks, there was less talk. It was soothing, yet Wooseok’s thoughts ran a mile a minute. Looking left to right and behind them, he tried to heighten his senses.

_No one’s following us right now..._

“I’m really thankful to have you as my friend. Others would see me as a deadweight, but you never once complained.” Seungyoun suddenly opens up. His words shook Wooseok a bit, letting him put his guard down for a moment. Wooseok gives his attention to Seungyoun for a moment.

“You’ll never be a burden to me.” Wooseok tells his friend. Each word Seungyoun let out was filled with pain — pain he never showed Wooseok. “I’ll protect you always.”

Seungyoun twists his head to his right and (pretends) looks over to Wooseok. The boy is unaware that they were facing each other in that moment. “I feel like I can never properly thank you without seeing you.”

They stopped walking when they were only a few strides away from Seungyoun’s house. The smile on Seungyoun’s face slowly became faded into a frown. There was silence between them again...only for Seungyoun, that is.

The whirling sound of the wind and the cracking sound of dry leaves made Wooseok have goosebumps. He could hear the same horrid laughter he heard five years ago. Although he would like to cover his ears, he’d much rather hold on to Seungyoun’s hand.

_Keep calm, Wooseok. You can’t be afraid now. Be brave for you and Seungyoun._ He reminded himself as he was now face to face with the monster that has been chasing him for years. Dressed in black and whose eyes glowed red more-so that night, the soul eater had come for his soul for the nth attempt. A hand was reaching out for Wooseok’s head but the boy didn’t falter or shake.

“Please let me take Seungyoun home.” He said calmly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You won’t die.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter: @softhyeong

**_Present Day_ **

Wooseok stands on the edge of the high-rise building’s top floor. The sun slowly rising from the horizon and it’s rays illuminating the city once more. The sky from a deep blue hue turns into a gradient of yellow and orange. The summer breeze slowly losing it’s heat as autumn made its way. Wooseok took a deep breath with his eyes still closed. He relaxed his muscles and enjoyed the silence that the dawning of a new day offered him.

It suffocated him.

“Wooseok-ah, don’t stand too close to the edge of the buil-“ A friend of Wooseok tries saying, but Wooseok pays no attention.

Wooseok takes one step forward and falls. As he fell, he opens his eyes and reaches out for the sky. His friend just shakes his head and sighs before jumping after him. By the time his friend had caught up, Wooseok turned his body so he could face the ground instead. The air pushing back his hair and gracing his face.

“It’s pointless to jump, Wooseok.” The guy beside him says, but, once again, he was ignored.

The determined boy put out his hand and lands with one knee bent. He had no scratches whatsoever. He stands up, dusts his coat and fixes his hair. Likewise, his friend does the same and put a hand on his shoulder.

“No matter how many times you jump, you _won’t_ die. It’s pointless. Please stop doing it...for your own sake.”

“You can never be sure of that, Seungwoo hyung. I can do what I want with my _life_ , if one can still call it as such,” Wooseok scoffs as he buries his hands in his pockets. He walks through the streets and not one person spared him a glance.

After 10 years, it still gives him chills.

_This_ is the life that soul eaters like Wooseok have to live. Walking amongst the living as if they belong, but having no interaction with them. Having granted immortality in exchange for watching people suffer and taking them away from the people they love, in other words getting their hands dirty. A life that Wooseok dares daily to escape from, but can’t.

Minutes later, Wooseok comes to a stop at an intersection. He pulls out a small notebook from his pocket and slides his index finger down the pages he had bookmarked. He shuts his eyes tightly and grits his teeth, holding back whatever emotions he may have. He was mad at himself, at the situation he was in, at the fact that this is who he is.

A ten-wheeler truck that was taking a left turn had lost its breaks. Cars heading to the same route collided with the trailer. The sound of glass shattering, tires screeching on asphalt and metal colliding with metal, the smell of smoke and spilled gas, and the loud screams of bystanders fill the streets on that morning.

For the entire duration of the accident, Wooseok kept his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, the once peaceful image he had mentally painted moments ago was now a horrifying spectacle he wished was only a nightmare. The was nothing he could have done to stop the sequence of events that had taken place, nor was he allowed to intervene in what was already set in stone from the beginning.

_Twenty-five casualties. Ten dead, nine minor injuries, and six still struggling to live. Among the ten are parents and among the remaining are now orphaned children._ Wooseok thinks to himself as he accounts the results of the massive accident. He stops in front of a black car and witnesses a child wailing as her parents lies cold and crushed in the driver and passenger seats. He tries to look away, but he sees that he had stepped in a puddle of blood. He takes a step back and tries to internalize what had happened.

For ten years, he had grown accustomed to this job, but every death was a blow to him. Accidents like this, were far more scarring than jobs wherein he just had to pick up (take) souls. This wasn’t his first time handling a task like this, but every time, he’d wish he had swapped with a fellow soul eater.

This is life. This is destiny. It’s much more terrifying than we think.

Wooseok had no choice but to regain his composure and to continue with work. He takes the souls of those who had passed away during the car crash. Even the souls of those who were fighting for survival...he didn’t want them to suffer anymore.

_I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry._

The last ones were the souls of the parents of the little girl he had watched earlier. He crouches down and as he was about to take their souls, the little girl looks over to him. The action of the little girl surprised Wooseok because, for a fact, he knew no one could see them.

“Mister...please take care of mama and papa...” she struggles to say. She looks back at her parents who were lying cold on the road. Wooseok nodded before taking the two souls. Before leaving, he gave the little girl a hug from behind and whispered something in her ear.

When the girl turns to see Wooseok again, he was already gone. Her cheeks were stained with tears but she tried smiling for a moment.

From above, Wooseok stands on top of another building and watches the police mobiles and ambulances arrive. He notices the little girl stand up and look around for him. Even if it was just for a second, the little girl caught a glance of him and waves goodbye to him.

With a heavy heart, Wooseok turns away and moves onto his next task. His words resonated in his mind still — making him rethink why he did such.

_Live...for them._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wooseok’s new assignment...

The blue sky was soon engulfed by darkness and was then lit up by a barrage of stars while the moon shyly hid behind the clouds. Wooseok laid on his back on top of the highest building in Seoul. His feet dangling on the edge of the building while his left hand began to trace constellations in the sky. 

Another day of reclaiming souls had ended for Wooseok, but each task he accomplished left deep wounds among the many that had yet to heal. The job was scarring, but whenever he thought deeply about it, it all boils down to whether he’s willing to see a person and their loved ones suffer even more or end it. There’s also the possibility of having those souls wander around aimlessly and soon enough lose control. Thus, even when Wooseok hates his job, he still goes on with it. 

Wooseok groans and just furiously hits the concrete surface with his free hand and covers his eyes with the other. Tears weren’t flowing out. In the last ten years, he could not recall a day which he had shed a tear. Even when he wants to breakdown and scream loudly, it just doesn’t come out. It’s as if he’d grown used to the pain. 

From behind him, he could hear footsteps walking to where he was laying. A sudden gush of wind blew as the person took his next step. “Don’t come any closer.” Wooseok says with a stern voice.

“You’re not crying are you?” The voice mocks Wooseok. 

In a blink of an eye, Wooseok was now standing in front of the fellow soul eater. He grabbed him by the collar and stared at him as his eyes glowed red. His grip tightened and the soul eater just chuckled.

“What do you want from me, Eunsang?” Wooseok asks. He was tired. He didn’t need to be taunted by someone who found joy in watching people die.

“I’m not here to mess with your head Wooseokie...you’re doing a fine job at that yourself.” Eunsang chuckles as he grabs Wooseok’s hand and removes it from his collar. He smirks when he sees Wooseok’s angry expression and jumps back a bit to create distance between them. “Know your place Wooseok. There’s a big difference between you and me, and I’m sure you’re aware of that.”

“You’re a monster! You’re all monsters!” Wooseok yells at the top of his lungs which only made Eunsang burst into laughter. When Eunsang finally put on a serious face, he simply stares down at Wooseok, lifts his finger, and puts it down harshly. Wooseok’s body reacts to this; he drops down to the floor with one knee bent and couldn’t move a muscle. 

Eunsang slowly walks towards Wooseok and kneels beside him. “You’re a monster too,” he whispers before standing up again. Wooseok grits his teeth and glares even more at boy in front of him. “As much as I’d love to continue watching you in your sorry state...I have to finish what I actually came here for.” 

From the pocket of his black coat, Eunsang pulls out a folder and holds it between his two fingers. He smiles widely at Wooseok before sliding the folder on the ground to him; it hits the tip of Wooseok’s shoe. The two make eye contact once again and Eunsang just shakes his head.

“That’s your new assignment. An irregularity that has been causing us trouble for quite some time now.” Eunsang says as he turns his back on Wooseok. He takes a few steps away before snapping his fingers to undo the spell he had on Wooseok. “I don’t know why  _they_ would give such a high difficulty task to someone like you, but...whatever. See you.” The boy says without a moment to waste. Another gush of wind blows and he disappears into the darkness.

Struggling to stand up, Wooseok dusts off his coat and slacks and picks up the file folder from the floor. When he opened the cover, he felt a throbbing pain in his head and his hands began to shake which made him drop the folder. Pictures and files fell out of the folder but Wooseok was too stunned to move. He didn’t understand what was going on. He moved back until he hit a wall. He allowed himself to slide down and just sit there suffering.

It was a pain he could not describe.

A few minutes later, he had caught his breath and lessened the shaking of his hands. He moved towards the pile of paper and picked up the page which made him feel so much pain in the first place. 

With a hoarse voice, he read the name written, “Cho...Seungyoun?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Thank you.”

Wooseok woke up with almost no recollection of what happened last night. The only thing he could remember was his blood boiling encounter with Eunsang and how he had passed out from his fatigue. Luckily, Seungwoo, while on his way back to their headquarters, passed by and carried him back. Being able to sleep in their quarters allowed his headache to subside.

As Wooseok slowly rose from his bed, he notices Seungwoo getting ready for his shift. He cleared his throat and tried to speak up. “Thanks for uhm...” he tries to start, but had a hard time continuing since his  _relationship_ with Seungwoo was complicated.

“You should return back to headquarters if you’re feeling tired. Don’t go wondering off again,” Seungwoo says with a soft smile. 

“It’s my choice,” Wooseok responds grumpily, making Seungwoo frown a bit. He sighs when he realizes that his hyung was only looking out for him. “I’ll remember that next time. Sorry hyung...and good luck today,” he says shyly.

“Take it easy today Wooseok-ah,” Seungwoo tells the younger. He walks across the room and stops in front of Wooseok just to mess with his hair. “If you need any help, you know you can always ask me.”

Wooseok nods and Seungwoo shows him another smile before leaving. Their relationship with each other was really messed up. There would be days that Wooseok hates Seungwoo’s guts and there are days that he is able to keep a conversation between them. Wooseok chooses to believe that it’s only natural for him to hate soul eaters because of how terrible their nature is, and how some of them have complexes. Thus, his relationships with other soul eaters are complicated as well.

After an hour of staring blankly at the ceiling, he decides to get up when he hears the voices of other soul eaters. He didn’t want to be caught up in another mess with them. He got dress and left immediately, stuffing the file that Eunsang gave him into his coat.

Rooftop to another, Wooseok moved swiftly until he arrived in front of a house whose exterior looks like it had not been dusted off in the last few years. Wooseok tried ringing the doorbell, but no one went outside to check. He resorted to jumping over the wall and entering the residences. Still, there was no one.

Wooseok checks the document again. He was at the correct address, but the person he was looking for wasn’t there. He looked through the file he was given and takes note of the locations the person would usually be at. 

Swiftly, Wooseok moved to various locations. Playgrounds, parks, outside a university, the subway, cafes, and the list went on, yet he had no luck at all. He sighs and takes a break on the rooftop of the usual building.

Ever since he started collecting souls, he could not recall a single task where he couldn’t finish within an hour or so. At first, he brushed away Eunsang’s remark on this  _person_ . He hates to admit it, but his task really is trouble. He’d much rather go and do ten jobs than aimlessly search for a person who seems like a pro at hide-and-seek.

Once more, the tired soul eater looks through the folder Eunsang gave him. To no avail, there was no other location, which the person frequented at, mentioned. When he closed the folder, a photo fell out. The glossy side with the photo was rubbed out, which made it almost useless, but when Wooseok flipped the photo, a date was written. An uneasiness crept on him, making his heart beat faster.

“ _October 27th...year 2009,_ ” he read. Nothing else was written aside from that. He flipped it over again and stared at the erased photograph.  It was as if someone was hiding something .

“If this is Eunsang’s way of making my already dreadful life even worse, then he’s right on the mark,” Wooseok says before shoving the photograph into his pocket and continuing his search. 

Without a destination in mind, he allows the uneasy feeling he was having lead him. There was no point in continuing by following the _rule_ , so he chose to do as he pleases to accomplish his task. As he looked around town, he thought that the task wasn’t about getting on Eunsang’s nerves and proving him wrong anymore, but he had a greater urge to get the task done to remove his uneasiness and to save the soul from his agony. When he thought about the people who were close to his next target, his feet moved faster. _They don’t deserve to suffer too,_ he thought as the image of the little girl from yesterday popped into his mind.

He had searched all over Seoul, and his last stop had him on the verge of giving up.  It was already 4 in the afternoon when he had arrived there. It was quiet where he was and not many people were there except one guy. Wooseok stopped a few meters away watched the man who was standing there. The air around him felt heavy and he felt tensed all of a sudden.

The man in front of Wooseok had his back turned, but Wooseok could tell that he had broad shoulders, a tall figure, and what seemed to be a great physique. Wooseok was unsure of why he suddenly stopped searching and ended up watching someone minding their own business. When the man struggled to kneel down, Wooseok quickly made his way to the man’s side and assisted him. 

“Thank you,” the man said with a soft voice. 

Wooseok was shocked. He moved back at bit and covered his mouth. “What...?” He stuttered when felt a tear slide down his cheek. For the last ten years he had not cried, but two words from someone he did not know made him choke up. For the last ten years, he had been helping people without expecting anything in return because every deed done by soul eaters or any supernatural beings are unnoticed; but after ten years, someone _noticed._

_  
So this is what it feels like to cry. _

“It’s a very special day today you see,” the man says, which catches Wooseok’s attention again. He turns away from Wooseok and places a bouquet of flowers on the grass in front of him. Wooseok’s eyes followed the man’s, and the moment he laid eyes on the same sight, his could feel a sudden ache.

“Happy birthday to you...dear Wooseok.” The man sang in front of a tombstone... _Wooseok’s tombstone._


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not a monster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! my updates are quite short bc i’m busy with uni! this au might have a lot of chapters but they won’t be super long ><

No words would come out of Wooseok’s mouth, nor did he have the will to think of anything to say. He tried to keep a level head, but too many questions flooded in and his headache from last night came back. The only thing he was sure of at the moment is that the man standing in front of him was his next victim, Cho Seungyoun. 

When an hour had passed, Wooseok tried to get a hold of himself, trying to get back to his usual calm self. He stared at the text engraved on the slab of stone and saw a familar date:  _ October 27, 2009. _ The same date that was written on the back of the damaged photograph. Another thing that caught his attention was the fact that the person buried twenty feet into the ground was born on the same day and month, 13 years apart. 

Kim Wooseok must have had it hard , Wooseok thought. He tried to get past the fact that he had the same given name as the dead person Seungyoun was visiting. There are millions of people living in their country, what were the possibilities that the name  Wooseok  had become quite common? 

Seungyoun tried his best to clean his deceased friend’s grave, almost tripping on his own cane as he tried to stand up. He could feel someone helping him, which made him sigh in relief. After he had finished, he crouched down slowly again and traced the tombstone. 

“I’ll leave first now, Wooseok,” he said with sadness in the tone of his voice. He stood up alone and tried walking a little fast.

Wooseok knocked his head when he noticed this, but simply followed behind Seungyoun. He could sense a bit of wary in the way the blind man walked. When it came to crossing streets, he made sure Seungyoun got across safely. Wooseok had no intention of catching Seungyoun  yet , not until his curiosity was satisfied.

Seungyoun walked for a while until they stopped infront of an old apartment building. Upon arriving, Wooseok surveyed the location and for a moment, his visioned blurred. He put his hand on his face, covering his right eye.  _ Why does this place feel so familiar? _

Once again, Seungyoun made his move. He went into the apartment building, entered an elevator, and then pressed the button for the third floor. Wooseok leaned back on the wall of the elevator and stared at Seungyoun. He didn’t understand what made soul eaters consider  _ this  _ man to be “trouble.” He’s blind and the only problem Wooseok ran into was finding him around town. He disregarded the moment Seungyoun thanked him because for all he knew, it could have been a coincidence.

The elevator stopped and opened it’s doors. Seungyoun got off and Wooseok followed behind...until Seungyoun paused.

“I know someone’s following me,” Seungyoun said which made Wooseok hold his breath. 

_How...? Humans can’t see or feel us, but how come he can?_ Wooseok felt iffy in that moment. He takes back everything he said...there’s something about Seungyoun that definitely makes him trouble.

“Speak or else I’ll think you’re one of  _them_ ,” Seungyoun says with emphasis on the last word. He gripped his cane tightly to control how he was feeling. He didn’t care for his life, but he thought that of all days why on the same day?

Wooseok felt backed up into a corner because of Seungyoun’s statement. It felt strange for Wooseok because Seungyoun was only human, yet he could make Wooseok tremble. “I-I’m...not,” was the first thing he utters.

_I’m not a monster._


End file.
